Hello everyone! Update 1606 for Configuration Manager Technical Preview has been released. New and improved features in this update include:

ConfigMgr as a managed installer with Device Guard:You can now configure clients so that ConfigMgr-deployed software is automatically trusted, but software from other sources is not. Read more in this blog post.

Cloud Proxy Service: This technical preview provides a simple way to manage ConfigMgr clients on the Internet. The Cloud Proxy Service, which is deployed to Microsoft Azure and requires an Azure subscription, connects to your on-premises ConfigMgr infrastructure using a new role called the cloud proxy connector point. You can use the ConfigMgr console to deploy the service to Azure and configure the supported roles to allow cloud proxy traffic.

Grace period for application and software update deployments: You are now able to give users a grace period to install required applications or software updates beyond any deadlines you configured. This can be useful for when a computer has been turned off for an extended period of time like when an end user has just returned from vacation.

Multiple device management points for Windows 10 Anniversary Edition devices: On-premises Mobile Device Management (MDM) supports a new capability in Windows 10 Anniversary Edition that automatically configures an enrolled device to have more than one device management point available for use. This capability allows the device to fall back to another device management point when the one it was using is not available.

This release also includes the following new feature for customers using System Center Configuration Manager connected with Microsoft Intune to manage mobile devices:

Device categories: You can create device categories, which can be used to automatically place devices in device collections when used in hybrid environments. Users are then required to choose a device category when they enroll a device in Intune.

Update 1606 for Technical Preview is available directly in the Configuration Manager console. If you want to install Configuration Manager Technical Preview for the first time, the installation bits (currently based on Technical Preview 1603) are available on TechNet Evaluation Center.

We would love to get your thoughts about the latest Technical Preview! To provide feedback or report any issues with the functionality included in this Technical Preview, please use Connect. If there’s a new feature or enhancement you want us to consider including in future updates, please use the Configuration Manager UserVoice site.